A few years ago Jenny O’Connor, Editorial Director at Redan Publishing (whose titles include the best-selling Peppa Pig) started writing a strip story for the company’s popular Sparkle World called The Goblin Princess – and now the strip has become… Read More ›
Creating Comics
Articles on creating comics, how tos, reference information and more
Exploring the Secret History of Ben Day Dots in US Comic Books
Over on the terrific Legion of Andy web site the in part anonymous site runner has been publishing a series of articles on what might seem a pretty dry subject – the Ben-Day dots printing process, used to colour comics… Read More ›
Caught Out By Moon Knight artist Greg Smallwood’s Artistic Genius!
You’d have thought that after seventeen years of editing downthetubes, plus mumble mumble years of working in the comics industry, I’d have learned not to totally rely on web image searches while sourcing artwork for articles by now, in addition to… Read More ›
Tributes paid to US cartoonist Jack Davis
We’re sorry to report that legendary US cartoonist Jack Davis has died, aged 91 – one of the founders of MAD magazine and certainly one of the best-known and recognisable cartoonists in the world. “Our hearts are broken,” a spokesperson… Read More ›
In Review: FutureQuake Issue 29
The latest issue of FutureQuake – available online and on sale at various comics events across the UK at the publisher’s stand, see their blog for details – is another terrific anthology of stories from the cream of (mainly British) creators…. Read More ›
Wonder Woman #3: Creator Secrets!
Wonder Woman #3 is out today in comic shops from DC Comics, written by Greg Rucka, drawn by Liam Sharp and coloured by Laura Martin. Liam posted the first five unlettered pages from the issue online, showcasing Laura Martin’s glorious… Read More ›
Latest Doctor Who comic collection “Evening’s Empire” features new pages by Richard Piers Rayner
Out now in the UK from Panini is the latest ‘archive’ Doctor Who comic collection, Evening’s Empire – a book special for me, not just because it features some of the last Seventh Doctor comic strips I edited for Doctor… Read More ›
A Friday Rant: The Perplexing Non Publicity for many British Comic Publications
The latest issue of InPublishing, a magazine covering all aspects of newspaper, magazine and digital publishing – available free to those working in publishing – and which publishes all its features, free to view, online – has just interviewed Egmont… Read More ›
Panel to Panel Interviews Doctor Who comic creator Dan McDaid
Episode 58 of Doctor Who: Panel to Panel is available for download, so grab your copy of The Crimson Hand graphic novel and flip through it as host Jeremy Bement chats with comic creator Dan McDaid about his run on the… Read More ›
Comic Creator Spotlight: A Story from “Buscavidas” by Carlos Trillo and Alberto Breccia, in English
As a supplement to artist Ron Tiner‘s thee-part series on the life and work of Argentinian comics creator Alberto Breccia, here’s six pages from his work Buscavidas (a title which has different titles in English, among them “Story Gatherer”, “Scandal… Read More ›
Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 55: Matt Rooke and Bubbles O’Seven
The Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 55, features Matt Rooke, co-creator of Apes ‘n’ Capes, and brings you the lowdown on some talking comics … and apes! Matt Rooke, the artist behind Apes ‘n’ Capes and the brand new primate spy… Read More ›
Comic Creator Spotlight: The Life and Work of Alberto Breccia – Part Two by Ron Tiner
He’s perhaps best known to British comic fans for his work through the Bardon Press Features office in Barcelona for Fleetway Edtions in the 1960s, first on Super Detective Picture Library Number 172 “Passport to Peril” (an adaptation of the novel, Assignment Helene by Edward… Read More ›
“Blankets” creator Craig Thompson joins 2016 Lakes International Comic Art Festival line-up
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival (14th -16th October 2016) has confirmed an appearance by one of the most critically-acclaimed cartoonists of his generation, award-winning author Craig Thompson, alongside current collaborator, the acclaimed French artist Edmond Baudoin. Thompson is the writer and artist of… Read More ›
In Review: Comics Unstripped – An Exhibition of Original Comic Art
If you happen to find yourself in Kettering over the next two months, I can thoroughly recommend spending a little time to find the Alfred East Art Gallery (part of Kettering Museum), which is hosting the free Comics Unstripped exhibition until… Read More ›
In Memoriam: Comic Creator Alan Joseph Mitchell
The sudden passing of the inspiring comics creator Alan Mitchell, perhaps best known for co-writing “Third World War” with Pat Mills for Crisis, aged just 55, came as a tremendous shock to both family and friends. Although we met only a couple of… Read More ›
Celebrating the British Small Press: 60 Great Small Comic Press (Part One)
When Marvel UK shrunk its original strip output in the mid-1990s, not being a 2000AD reader, comics creator Andy Luke had nowhere to go. He came to find that the small press, often photocopied works, were a core part of… Read More ›
Eagle Daze: The Life and Times of Leonard James Matthews – Part Twelve
Leonard Matthews, General Managing Editor of Fleetway and the Eagle Group of Comics, was a Creative Visionary… but that, Roger Perry argues in his extensive biography of the man which continues here on downthetubes, is only due to him having… Read More ›
Leam Comic Con Backs Small Press Day With Special Competition and Prizes
Leamington’s award-winning comic convention – Leam Comic Con – is offering independent comic creators the chance to raise their profile and win a table at their 2017 event, and promotional support. Launching on Small Press Day 2016 this coming weekend (9th… Read More ›
A Massive Awesome Comics Podcast Catch Up!
What with holidays and a mass of other stuff (yes, the work that pays the bills), I’ve gotten behind on coverage of what’s been on the small press-devoted Awesome Comics Podcast, although I did congratulate Vince Hunt, Dan Butcher and Tony… Read More ›
Doctor Who artist Rachael Smith launches new Patreon campaign
Rachael Smith, artist behind The Rabbit, Artificial Flowers and the humour comics in Titan Comics’ Doctor Who: Tenth Doctor comic series, has just launched a Patreon campaign which will hopefully enable her to continue with her webcomic, Bess. Hebden Bridge-based Rachael’s debut graphic novel House… Read More ›